Tide Turning Technique!

Three days later, inside a room at Kui Shui Pier.

"Steward Li, you've arrived."

Brother Xin pushed open the door with a beaming smile, respectfully ushering Li Xian into the room.

This time, Li Xian had come to take over this stronghold in his capacity as a steward.

Three days ago, after Li Xian displayed at least Mid-sixth Grade cultivation during his battle with Huang Jinglong, he immediately drew the attention of the Cao Gang's upper echelons.

Following a series of investigations and assessments, it was finally decided to grant Li Xian the status of steward.

Having strength really makes a difference; he was treated as a steward the moment he walked in.

However, no one here dared to be dissatisfied, as they had all seen Li Xian's prowess with their own eyes.

"Tell me, are there any troubles in this area that need resolving?" Li Xian asked as soon as he sat down.

Resolving troubles for the Cao Gang meant earning merit, and with that merit, Li Xian would be able to enter the Cao Gang's Scripture Repository.

Over the past few days, Li Xian had already made thorough inquiries.

Furthermore, Li Xian had received a recruitment benefit upon joining the gang.

An underwater cultivation technique—the Tide Turning Technique.

Li Xian took a look at it and spent a dozen or so Proficiency Points to master it to the highest level.

After all, he would be dealing with water frequently in the time to come; having an underwater technique would only be beneficial and cause no harm.

Over these years, Li Xian had accumulated several thousand Proficiency Points.

His only worry now was a lack of techniques, not a lack of Proficiency Points.

"There is indeed one troublesome matter."

"Oh? Let's hear it." Li Xian became interested.

"Across from the pier, there are a few flower boats that are also under our protection. The brothers often go there to unwind. Steward, are you interested? The girls on those flower boats are quite something..."

Li Xian's expression darkened. "Talk about serious business..."

"Oh, oh, right, serious business. It's just that not long ago, a few brothers went to the flower boats to have fun and ended up missing."

"Missing?" Li Xian was puzzled.

"Yes, they just vanished. We went to investigate, and the girls on the flower boats claimed the men had left that same night. But when we asked the other brothers who went with them, they said they never saw them leave the boat at all. Steward, don't you think that's strange?"

Li Xian narrowed his eyes and said, "Someone is lying?"

"At first, we thought the same, but after several of our brothers met with accidents in the same way, we felt something wasn't right."

"What kind of problem is it?" Li Xian asked.

"We suspect it's the work of Demonic Evil!"

Demonic Evil!?

Hearing these two words, Li Xian couldn't help but think of the Mountain Imp he had crushed on Partridge Mountain that night.

"Why do you think it's Demonic Evil?"

"Aside from Demonic Evil, no one could pull off such wicked things," Brother Xin said with certainty.

Li Xian remained noncommittal, only smiling as he said, "Then take me to tour the flower boats tonight."

"You got it!"

"Oh my, Brother Xin, you've finally come. It's been so long since you last visited; I've missed you to death."

It was clear that Brother Xin was a regular on the flower boats. Before he even stepped onto the boat, he was surrounded by a group of girls.

Brother Xin didn't stand on ceremony, wearing a lecherous grin as he pulled them into his arms.

Li Xian followed behind, turning his head to survey his surroundings.

The flower boat was truly a notorious den of extravagance in Yangzhou City. Looking at the endless stream of people coming and going, and the boat brightly lit from top to bottom, one could see everyone from wealthy Young Masters to refined scholars—all of them there for the sake of feigning elegance and getting close to a beauty.

"Look, look! Lady Qin Cao is coming down."

"Lady Qin Cao, I'll pay one hundred taels of gold tonight just to spend the evening with you!"

"Eat dirt, you! Young Master Ming offered five hundred taels last night and still couldn't get her. You should just go home and sleep with your one hundred."

"I offer one thousand taels!"

"Get lost! Our Lady Qin Cao sells her art, not her body!"

A commotion broke out inside the flower boat as all the infatuated men shouted at the young woman descending from the second floor.

Li Xian frowned slightly.

For some reason, the moment he saw Lady Qin Cao, he felt as though a faint, fishy stench had drifted into his nostrils.

A fishy stench...

It circled the tip of his nose only to vanish without a trace. Li Xian almost thought it was his imagination.

And then there was the fact that this girl's name was...

A bit too coincidental.

Li Xian could not help but fall into deep thought.

Suddenly, Li Xian's heart stirred. He felt a gaze fixed upon him.

He looked up, his eyes locking perfectly with a pair of autumn-water-like pupils.

It was actually Qin Cao.

She smiled and nodded at Li Xian, as if greeting an old acquaintance.

This scene caused a stir among the lecherous men on the flower boat.

"Who is that kid? What right does he have to be smiled at by my Qin Cao?"

"Actually, to be fair, didn't it look like Miss Qin Cao was the one smiling at him?"

"Bullshit! Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

"Who is that kid? He looks very unfamiliar!"

"That is the new manager of our Kui Shui Pier for the Cao Gang."

Brother Xin said with a face full of pride.

"That's not right, Brother Xin. Isn't the manager of your pier Boss Yang? How did it change to this kid?"

A regular customer who came often recognized Brother Xin.

Brother Xin glanced at him and said, "Is the business of the Cao Gang any of your concern?"

"Uh..." The man was choked into silence.

The Cao Gang was powerful. In Yangzhou City, apart from the Governor's Mansion and the Demon Suppressing Division, no one dared to stand against them.

At this moment, Miss Qin Cao whispered a few words to the maid beside her. Then, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the maid walked up to Li Xian and said:

"Young Master, our Miss invites you to the private chamber for a gathering."

The voice was not loud, but it was enough for everyone present to hear.

"Wow!"

This was undoubtedly a depth charge for those obsessed fans.

They began to wail and weep bitterly.

"No, why? Why does this kid get to go to Miss Qin Cao's... room!"

"Hey, can you stop pausing for so long when you talk!"

"Could it be that this kid has some extraordinary talent?"

"Bullshit, he's just a bit handsome. Look at that scrawny frame; what kind of extraordinary talent could he possibly have?"

"I said it before, Miss Qin Cao sells her art, not her body! Stop slandering her!"

"Moron!"

Even Brother Xin was curious about this question.

"Steward Li, why is it that you get to go to Miss Qin Cao's room on your very first visit?"

He was envious, too.

He had been on this flower boat so many times and didn't even know which room Qin Cao stayed in. Yet, here was Li Xian, who had been invited by Qin Cao herself on his first visit. Comparing people like this was enough to make one die of frustration.

Li Xian smiled and said, "I don't know either. I'll ask her when I get to her... room."